Alfred g



A. C. DE LORME.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29. 1917.

INVENTOR. A; Ffi FD C .051 O/P/Vf.

mmumz' ATTORNEY engine,

STATES PAirEuT-o E-icE.

ALFRED DE LORME, 0E EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 SPEITD EE ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Patented Nov. '25, 1919.

Application filed October 29,1917. Serial No. 199,133.

East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'I his invention relates to an electric ignition system suitable for internal combus -tio n engines and more particularly to engines of large size, such as those used in aero and hydro-planes, and motor boats, etc. In largeengines of this character special means must be resorted to for the purpose of starting them. In the case of aeroplanes,

it is the commonpractice to either prime the I engine by introducing fuel through pet cocks. or by seizing the propeller blades and over by hand thus causother than the main or service ignition which. is permanently. associated with the is operated in any suitable manner to deliver a. spark in'one of the cylinders .having a fuel'charge under more or less compression.

In many instances on stopping an engine,

enriched mixtures. are taken into the engine cylinders ,which will remain for quite aperiod of time under partial compression, which maybe ignited by the auxiliary or starting ignition and the'engine will start up without having to resort tothe above described means. In fact, startingfoi compressionis an old procedure and neednot be'described-further herein.

. Various schemes have been proposed for this ignition work including a service magneto and a startingmagneto, or a service magneto or a battery and vibrating coil in place of thestarting, magneto, the starting magneto or coil being connected to the service magneto distributer through a trailing brush, orv a starting magneto of the low ten sion type may be used, the same being connected to the primary of the service magneto thereby using the armature of ice magneto as an induction coil. My invention is directed, to ways and means of introducing the auxiliary or starting source pfignition current through the main dis- C. DE LORJVIiE,

old and well known devices.

the serv-.

' on the exterior tributer in such a. way, that the structure will be simple and cheap, yet eflicient.

This and other obj ects will be apparent to one skilled in the art after considering the.

principles set forth in thisspecification and attached drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the magnetoused for the service ignition, the

shown in section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of part of the distributer device but with the central portion removed. j

Fig. 3 is a diagr mmatic view of the service and starting ignition machines in circuit with one of the distributer elements.

'In the drawings like numbers refer to corresponding. parts in the difierent views.

distributer device and other parts. associated therewith being The said tributer block 4 and holes 1.5 to 22' are pro-,

vided with wires to be connected between the contacts 7 to 14 inclusive and their respective spark plugs on the engine cylinders. For the sake of brevity the engine cylinders and spark plugs are not shown as these are Mounted in the interior ofthe block is an annular rin 23. which has two ears 24 and 25 projecting away from the ring so as to form flat contact surfaces for the engag'ement of brushes 26 and 27. In the type of magneto shown in Fig. 1 the induction coil 28, having the usual primary and secondary windings P and S, is-mounted in the arch of the magnets and has its secondary connected by suitable connecting means to the brush I 27 mounted in. the connector 6 which has on its forward end a boss 29 Sup ported in the recess 30 and its rear end held in 'a collar 31. attached to the frame of the magneto. The rear end is preferably squared at 32 to event the' connector 6 from turning. T e block '4 carries the terminal contact 33 having a thumb nut 34 part of the block for the a wire from the source purpose of receivlng The connector carnes of starting current.

. tached to the gear wheel 39 a brush 35 which with 26 constitutes a pair to complete a-circuit from the contact 33 to the ear contact 24 as shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the positions of the brush and coiiperating surface contact may be reversed inr position and I do not wish to be limited to the particular arrangement shown. This also applies to the brush 27 and coiiperatin ear contact 25.

Block 4 is he (1 to the magneto 1 by any suitable means such as a housing 36 and studs 37 only one of which is shown, but the mounting must be such-that block 4 is adjustable, it having alug 38 forthe purpose of receiving adjusting means. The lug 38 is shown in dotted lines in its alternate position in Fig.-, 2, it being understood that the entire block moves with the lug 38 although for the purpose of clarity this adjusted po sition of the parts carried by the block is not shown.

The distributing member 5 is suitably atthat is ada ted to be driven by a pinion operated by s aft 2 in the usual manner. The distributing member 5 carries a brush 40 that is in permanent engagement with the collector ring 23. Electrically connected with the brush 40 is another brush 41 that is adapted to engage spark plug contacts 7 to 14 inclusive as the distributing member 5 rotates in synchronism with the shaft 2.

As shown in Fig. 3 the service magneto 1 has the usual cam 42 and breaker arm 43 operating in connection with the primary P. The secondary S is connected through the rear end of the connector 6 in any suitable manner with brush27 as heretofore described. In the diagrammatic arrangement of Fig. 3 the contact 33 is omitted and the secondary s is shown connected directly to the brush 35 carried by the connector 6. As shown in this figure, the auxiliary or starting source of current is illustrated as another high tension magneto having winding p and secondary s, as mentioned, breaker arm 44 and cam 45, although a battery and coil or equivalent'devices may be used for furnishing the starting current. In Figs. 1 and 2 the startingcontact 33 is shown in engagement with brush 35 and the brush 26 is in contact with contact car 24. With the distributer block in this position the brush 27 will be in the position shown in Fig. 2; now when the block is moved to the position where the lug 38 is shown in dotted lines, the terminal 33 is moved to the dotted position shown and the contact ear 25 will be carried forward to where it is shown in dotted position in Fig. 2, thus placing the brush 27 in connection with the contact 25 from which it will be seen, by reference to Fig. 3, that the service magneto is then connected with the collector ring 23 and hence service magneto currentsame .distributer brush for distributer primary may be movable on the block.

po1nt to get maximum efliciency from the engine at its working speed as in many cases a fixed spark ignition machine is .used.. Whether or not a fixed spark machine be used or one with an advance lever, the starting current is a plied to a spark plug that is in a cylinder in which the piston has gone over dead center. By utilizing the both starting and ignition current in preference to a trailing brush of the same kind as the main brush for the starting current, I cut the brush wear and its attendant troubles in half. Where a jump spark contact is used in the for the trailing brush arrangement, much heat is taken out of the spark in the engine cylinders which is highly es sential in starting due to the poor mixture, etc., and hence by using a wipe contact in the distributer I eliminate this objection al feature.

While I have shown the distributing de vice as a part of the service ignition machine yet I wish it to be understood that this distributing device may be placed on any part of the engine, my invention not being limited to its being placed directly on the service ignition machine. As a matter of fact in certain classes of ignition'work the distributing devices are mounted on engine members instead of on the magneto. This is almost a necessity where the cylin-- ders are placed at angles of 45 degrees and the spark plug contacts carried by the distributer' block are irregularly spaced and hence more room is required to get the contacts that are nearest together far enough apart so that the distributing brush will not leave a connecting trail between the adjacent contacts and the spark jump from one to the other.

As shown herein, the block is adapted to be placed either on the magneto 'or on the engine. It is also to be understoodthat what is ordinarily called the block may be held stationary and another part having the spark plug contacts .mounted thereon My invention includes all such modifications and it will 'be apparent that numerous other changes may be made in thevarious details. without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus" described my invention what Iclaim is I 1. Inan ignition system for internal com- I bustion engines, the combination of a service nected to theengine sparking devices, a discurrent, means tributing member associated with said block and contacts, a source of startingsparking for shifting the position of said block and means to connect either the starting or service source of sparking curconnected to the said generating winding, a

rent {to said distributing member when said block is shifted for the purpose described;

3." In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a service magnetov having agenerating winding and a distributer block mounted thereon, said block carrying a: plurality of contacts adapted to be connected to the engine spark plugs, a service contact on said block adapted to be distributing member adapted to rotate within said block and normally connected with said services contact, a starting, contact on said block, a starting magneto having a gencrating winding adapted .to be connected to said startingcontact, said contacts carried 40fby a block being shiftable to connect either the starting or service contact into circuit with said distributin g mcmber for the purpose describedi 4. In an lgnltion system for internal corn-- ;bustion engines, the combination of aservice ignition machine having a generating (winding and a distributer block-mounted thereon,

saidblock carrying a plurality of contacts adapted to be connected to'the various engine spark plugs, ajser vice' contact on said block adapted to be connected to said winding, a

distributin member adapted to rotate within said bloc a starting contact in said block,

a source of starting ignition current adapted to be connected to said starting contact, said contacts carried on the block being shiftable to connect either the starting contact and the source of starting ignition currentor the service contact-and service ignition machine into circuit with said distributing member for-the purpose described.

5. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a service magneto, a distributer block supporting contacts adapted to be onnected to the engine sparking devices, a distributing member associated with said block and contacts, a start" ing magneto, means for shifting the position of said contacts, and means to connect either the starting or service magneto to said distributing member when said contacts are I shifted for the purpose described;

6. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a source of service sparking current, a distributer block supporting contacts adapted to be connected to the engine sparking devices, a distributing member associated with said block and contacts, a source of starting sparking current, means for shifting the position of said contacts and means to'connect either the starting or service source of sparking current to said distributing member when said contacts are shifted in position for the purpose described. I

7. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a distributing device consistingof a block carrying contacts adapted to be connected to'the engine sparking devices, a rotary distributing member and a connector carrying contacts; a service ignition machine having a.

generating winding connected with one of said connector contacts, a starting ignition machine having a generating winding connected with another of said connector contacts, means for shifting the position of said contacts carried by the block for connecting either of said "connector contacts in circuit with said rotary distributing member whereby either the service machine or starting machine is connected to the engine cy1- inders.

8 In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of, a distributing device consisting of; a-block carrying contacts adapted to be connected to the engine spark plugs, a rotary distributing member-and a connector carrying contacts;

a'source of service sparking currentadapte'd' to be Lconnectedwith one of said connector contacts, a source of starting sparking current adapted to be connected with another ofsaid connector contacts, means for shifting the the block for connecting through said connector contacts and rotary member either the.

serviceor starting source of sparking current to the engine sparkplugs for the purpose described.

9. In an ignition system the combination of a" distributing device consisting of; a block carrying contacts adaptedto be connected to spark plugs and an annular collector ring having two contact ears connected to said ring but spaced apart from 'each other, a rotary distributing member carryinga brush running on said collector ring and a second brush electrlcally connected to. the first and adapted to contact position of thecontacts carried bywith said spark plug contacts carried by the block and a connector having brushes adapted to contact with said cars; a source a of service sparking current adapted to be connected to one of said connector brushes,

' tion of a service ignition machine having stationary connector,

a generating winding and a distributing device consisting of; a distributer block having spark plug contacts, a rotary distributing member and a stationary connector; of a source of starting ignition current with means for connecting either one or the other of said sources of current in circuit with said spark plug contacts, said means consisting of a collector ring in a movable block, contact ears connected to the ring, a set of brushes in electrical connection, and a separate third brush carried by the said third brush being adapted to be connected to one of said ears and to the winding of the service machine, said set of brushes adapted to be connected to the other contact ear and source of starting current, brushes in electrical contact with each other carried by said rotary distributer and adapted to engage said collector ring and spark plug, contacts respectively as described.

In an ignition system, the combination of a service ignition machine having primary and secondary windings, a distributing device attached to said machine having; an adjustable block, a rotary distributing member and a stationary connector; said block carrying a plurality of contacts adapted to be connected to spark plugs, a collector ring having two angularly displaced contact ears, and a. third separate contact, said connector having a frontsupport in said block and a rear end support on the frame of the machine with means for holding the connector stationary, a pair of brushes in electrical contact and a separate brush carried by said connector, said pair of brushes adapted to engage simu1- taneously one of said ears and the said third contact on the block, said separate brush being adapted to engage the other car contact when the block is moved to one extreme position at which time the said pair of brushes is not in contact with the separate contact and ear, said rotary member carrying a pair of brushes in electrical contact for connecting said ring to the spark plug contacts, said secondary winding being conary connector having one end supported on the block and passing through the rotary member to a rear support on the frame of the machine; a contact member on the block end of said connector connected to the said secondary winding, a separate contact on the block, a source of starting ignition current connected to said separate contact and a pair of contact members on said connector one adapted to engage said separate contact, and means on said block for engaging. either the first mentioned contact member on the connector or the other contact member of said pair whereby either the service machine or the source of starting 90 current is placed in circuit with said rotary distributing member for the purpose described.

13. In an ignition system, the combination of a service magneto having a distributing device for distributing current to sparking plugs, a starting magneto for delivering sparking current to said plugs, said distributing device also constituting switching mechanism for switching either the service or starting magneto into the spark plug circuits. I

14. In an ignition system, the combination of a source of service sparking current,

a source of starting sparking current, a distributing device for distributing both said types of sparking current to sparking plugs, said distributing device acting also as a switching mechanism to switch either source of current into circuit'with said sparking 11o plugs.

15. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a source of service sparking current timed for maximum running efficiency of said engine, a 11 5 distributing device for directing said sparking current to the various engine spark plugs, a source of starting sparking current connected to said distributing device, said distributing device being adjustable for selecting the service or starting current and at the same time retard the time of application of the starting current to said spark plugs as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof, I affix my signature.

ALFRED C. DE LORME. 

